led to 5th, with leader, led approaching 8th, hit 10th, shaken up and quickened 3 out, clear when hit last
held up last, mistake 4th, headway 4 out and chased leader, ridden approaching 3 out, blunder 2 out, no chance with winner
tracked leaders, stumbled 2nd, fell 7th
chased leader, jumped left 2nd and 3rd, left 5th to 8th, hit 10th, soon ridden and lost place, weakened approaching 3 out
Matt The Thrasher has to give weight to Original Fly, but can come out on top, with Nemetan worth a small mention. Like the previous race on the card, this looks like another two-horse race on paper, and we prefer the claims of Matt The Thrasher. Granted he has to concede 8lb to the Nicholls challenger, but lines up on the back of a win over further here a fortnight ago, but his new trainer Evan Williams appears to have got this former Irish hurdler jumping fences like an old hand judged on that latest effort, and with Tony McCoy to guide him round, he should prove hard to beat despite the drop back in trip. Despite the wealth of talent at Ditcheat, many of Paul Nicholls's inmates seem to need the initial outing, and with that in mind, we would rather have a watching brief on Original Fly who makes his debut over fences on what will be his first run since finishing second over hurdles in March. No doubt he will be placed to good effect in time, but is worth taking on today. With regular pilot Andrew Thornton sidelined with a broken jaw, Robert Walford takes over on Nemetan who would have to improve markedly to figure, so all in all, despite topweight, Matt The Thrasher is the one to be on.
Matt The Thrasher (IRE) 16-1 (11-0) Held up towards rear, headway 8th, led on bit 4 out, clear 3 out, comfortably, won at Taunton 2m 7f beg chs (4) gd in Oct beating Missy Moscow (10-7) by 13l, 9 ran.
Original Fly (FR) 9-2 (11-4) Chased leader, ledafter 3 out, headed last, no extra, 2nd of 6, 5l behind Picot de Say (10-6) at Wincanton 2m 4yo hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft in Mar.
Nemetan (FR) 25-1 (10-12) Held up, some headway after 5th, no further impression from next, 5th of 8, 14l behind Warpath (11-5) at Exeter 2m 1f nov hdl (4) gf in Oct.
Alexander Musical (IRE) 50-1 (9-13) Tracked leaders, ridden and weakened 8th, 8th of 10, 46l behind Terrible Tenant (11-9) at Hereford 2m hcp chs 0-100 (4) gf.
